6 things to know about the prestigious college golf event at Twin Warriors during balloon fiesta week

A prestigious college matchplay golf event at Twin Warriors Golf Club on the Santa Ana Pueblo will feature the men’s and women’s teams from Stanford, Texas, New Mexico and New Mexico State.

The Pueblo of Santa Ana and Notah Begay III, a four-time PGA Tour champion, will host the first-time event, scheduled for Oct. 8 and 9, the Tuesday and Wednesday of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

“This will be the largest and most prestigious golf event to be contested in New Mexico since UNM hosted the NCAA championships (in 1950, 1976 and 1992),” said Begay, a New Mexico native who played at Stanford in college. “Everything that I love about my state will now be on full display to the entire nation.”

Here are five things to know about the NB3 Matchplay at Twin Warriors Presented by The Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa:

What’s a matchplay event? Texas, Stanford, UNM and NMSU will compete in a round-robin match-play format in which each team plays the other three teams. A total of 5 points will be available in each match and the winners on both the men’s and women’s sides will be determined by total points. In addition, an overall university champion will be determined by the cumulative total of both the men’s and women’s points.

Who are the women’s teams? The Stanford women’s team has won two of the last three national titles, including in 2024 championship at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California. The Texas women’s team was also a powerhouse this past season, one of 30 teams to earn a trip to California to compete for a title and finishing the season ranked No. 8 nationally. UNM and NMSU were competitive, with the Lobos finishing the 2023-24 season ranked No. 73 and the Aggies ranked No. 77 nationally. NMSU’s Emma Bunch, a rising junior, was one of the top individual golfers in the nation, having won five consecutive tournaments, including Conference USA Tournament, to close the year.

Who are the men’s teams? Both the Stanford and Texas men’s teams have won a national title in the past five years, the Cardinal in 2019 and the Longhorns in 2022. In 2024, Stanford, Texas and UNM were among the 30 teams to play for an NCAA Championship at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California. The Longhorns finished the year ranked No. 9, the Lobos No. 27 and the Cardinal No. 30. NMSU was ranked No. 156 in the final college rankings.

Will it be televised? Yes. NBC Sports will broadcast the event live on the Golf Channel. Coverage is from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Mountain Time.

Can spectators attend? Yes. Admission is free and there will be an autograph area for high school and junior golfers to meet the competitors.

What else? The NB3 Matchplay at Twin Warriors will direct proceeds from the event to the Notah Begay III Foundation, a nonprofit working to improve the health of Native American children.